Amos Tibesigwa, one of the victims says that he was intercepted by security operatives in Rwanda SNovember 11, 2019 and tasked to explain why he had entered the country. According to Tibesigwa, he was beaten and taken to Kivuye in Burera district where he was detained.
Five Ugandans who were
deported after a week-long detention in Rwanda have narrated the ordeal
they went through. They are Gilbert Beingana, Amos Tibesigwa and Nicholas
Tumwesigye, all residents of Ndorwa West County in Kabale district and
Ivan Nirinyiyimana and Beatha Nyiramuco, both from Kisoro district.
The five were arrested for
illegal entry into Rwanda last week and locked up in Rwanda. They
were dumped by Rwandan security at Chanika border in Kisoro district on
Tuesday morning. A statement issued on
Tuesday morning by Francois Regis Gatarahiya, the Director General of
Immigration and Emigration in Rwanda, says the five were deported because
they were prohibited Immigrants in Rwanda.
URN spoke to the deportees. Amos Tibesigwa, one of the victims says that he was intercepted
by security operatives in Rwanda November 11, 2019 and tasked to explain
why he had entered the country. According to Tibesigwa, he was beaten
and taken to Kivuye in Burera district where he was detained.
Tibesigwa says security operatives find
him kicked him and hit him using their guns while in detention. He says the operatives
repeatedly asked him why he had crossed to Rwanda. Tibesigwa, who told URN that he was feeling a lot of pain in
the ribs, says they were only fed on cooked maize twice during their entire
detention.
//Cue in: “ I had crossed…
Cue out:…my ribs.”//
Rukiga
//Cue in: nkambuka tukagyenda twaza…
Cue out: … ziri kushaasha.”//
Nicholas Tumwesigye, another deportation victim believes that
they were saved from death when his brother, Gideon Turyatunga raised the
matter to Ugandan security officials and media and his step father, a
top Police officer in Rwanda National Police begged for their release.
Gilbert Beingana, another victim says that he had never
experienced suffering like what he was subjected to in custody in Rwanda. According
to Beingana, the security operatives would beat them whenever they felt like.
He says they were driven from Kivuye to Chanika on Monday and spent the night
in detention until Tuesday when they were released and ordered never to
return to Rwanda.
//Cue in: “ I want to…
Cue out: …kicked us.”//
Rukiga
//Cue in: “ndeenda kusiima mukuru…
Cue out: …batuteraga emigyere.”//
Last week, two Ugandan traders, Bosco Tuheirwe and Job
Ebyarishanga were shot dead about 1km away from the Mpororo border post in
Kamwezi Sub County, Rukiga district. Rwanda police claimed that the two
were shot when they assaulted police officers.
Rwanda closed its borders with Uganda in February 2019 to purportedly
expedite the construction of the single customs at Gatuna border.
Rwanda advised truck drivers destined to Kigali to use Kagitumba border via Mirama Hills.
President, Paul Kagame later accused Ugandan authorities of
abducting its citizens and locking them up in ungazetted areas. Rwanda also
accused Uganda of hosting and facilitating dissidents especially Rwanda National
Congress-RNC and the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda FDLR,
which have declared war on the Kigali government.
Rwanda advised its citizens against travelling to Uganda,
saying it can't guarantee their safety.
